Ronn Motor Group Teases Upcoming Hydrogen-Powered Electric SUV

The world is racing toward electric vehicles, but there are other alternative fuel sources out there like hydrogen. Various automakers have dipped a toe into exploring hydrogen power, with some continuing development even as the fuel source’s future feels uncertain. But that’s not stopping Ronn Motor Group from investing in the technology. Yesterday, the company announced it’d launch a new hydrogen-powered electric SUV called the Myst.

The name references a hydrogen vehicle’s byproduct – water vapor. The new SUV, set to launch in 2022, will ride on the company’s flexible Q-Series chassis that could underpin a fleet of different body styles, including delivery vehicles, with both hydrogen fuel cell and all-electric powertrains. Ronn says the new SUV will take styling cues from the Scorpion, the company’s “hydrogen enhanced” supercar that debuted over a decade ago as a concept.

Details about the Myst are scarce. Ronn says it’ll be engineered in the US “by a team of automotive industry experts.” Now, the design team is finalizing the SUV’s appearance before a public reveal at a later date. The chassis could spawn other models, like a crossover, sedan, and an MPV, each of which would feature a unique, though corporate styling.

Since its inception, it has grown into a multinational corporation with about 80 executives and engineers in the US and China. The company plans to launch a mid-duty Class 3-6 fuel cell truck in late 2021, which will be produced at one of Ronn’s joint ventures in China, where the company has a footprint. The Qingdao municipal government has pre-orders that could equal $200 million in sales, too.

Get in on trucking fuel revolution early, experts urge

Fleets should educate themselves about the array of fuel alternatives as the industry transitions away from diesel, an expert panel said on Tuesday.
A “State of Sustainable Fleets” report provides insights into clean truck sales trends, vehicle development timelines, infrastructure and fuel costs.
A century ago, four out of 10 vehicles were powered by steam, four out of 10 were electric and only two were gas, said Georgia Delpiano, vice president of fleet solutions for Shell Oil Co. “So whoever bet on steam did not make a good choice.”
While the variety of clean fuel options on the market can seem overwhelming or cost-prohibitive, trucking fleets should educate themselves now about the array of alternatives as the industry continues its inevitable transition away from diesel, an expert panel said on Tuesday.

“The best way to get through the transition is to be part of it,” said Georgia Delpiano, vice president of fleet solutions for Shell Oil Co.

Delpiano was one of several industry experts who participated in a panel discussion tied to the launch of a report providing an overview of the most common sustainable fuel platforms for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

Sponsored by Shell, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) and Penske Transportation Solutions, the “State of Sustainable Fleets” report, released on Tuesday, includes insights into sales trends, vehicle development timelines, infrastructure and fuel costs, and the growing adoption of renewable fuels.

The analysis was written by green vehicle consultancy Gladstein, Neandross, and Associates (GNA) and covers four categories of fuel options: natural gas, propane, battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells. It also summarizes sustainability trends in “baseline technologies” — gas and diesel — and compares the new green technologies to those baseline fuels.

Corn cobs and cars: Ethanol fuels transportation

uring my second week as the 73rd Alice in Dairyland, I was excited to put some miles on “Kernel,” the flex-fuel Ford Explorer, as I traveled to see the United Wisconsin Grain Producers ethanol production facility in Friesland. I learned that UWGP uses over 20 million bushels of corn every year for ethanol production and that yeast plays a key role in the process.

The type of corn used to make ethanol is “No. 2 Yellow.” It is not the sweet corn or the canned corn found in grocery stores. Only 3% of this corn goes directly into food products as corn meal, oil, syrup or starch. In fact, ethanol may help lower the cost of all food items in the grocery store as one of the largest factors in food prices is transportation. Ethanol also reduces the cost of fuel.

Agility Fuel Solutions Introduces Third-Gen Roof Mount CNG Fuel System

Agility Fuel Solutions, a global provider of clean fuel solutions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, has introduced its new third-generation roof mount compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system for automated side loader, rear-end loader and front end loader refuse collection vehicles.

Agility introduced its roof mount CNG fuel systems for refuse fleets in 2001, and since then they have been used widely by fleets large and small across North America. With a design utilizing Agility’s lightweight carbon fiber composite TUFFSHELL ACF Type 4 CNG cylinders, and with fuel capacity options ranging from 60-92 diesel gallons equivalent (DGE), the roof mount systems can meet the needs of any refuse fleet. The internal CNG plumbing was redesigned to significantly reduce potential leak points and the placement of pressure relief devices (PRDs) for fire safety was improved to provide optimal coverage based on where fires are most likely to occur.

“With nearly 20 years of use in the field and with tens of thousands of systems on the road, we have seen the roof mount CNG fuel systems put to the test in nearly every imaginable scenario,” says Eric Bippus, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Agility.

Cadillac Set to Debut First All-Electric Vehicle

Cadillac is turning to its next chapter as an electric-vehicle brand with the debut of the 2022 Cadillac Lyriq crossover.

The battery-powered Lyriq, Cadillac’s first all-electric vehicle, will debut online Aug. 6. Although the Lyriq is not expected to hit showrooms until sometime in 2022, it marks the beginning of Cadillac’s dive into electrics. General Motors Co.’s stated goal is to sell more Cadillacs with rechargeable batteries than gas tanks by 2030.

Some industry observers see it as a chance for Cadillac to finally move ahead of foreign luxury-makers. Others question whether it’s realistic in a time when only a small percentage of buyers shop electrics.

“It’s no secret they want to elevate their brand, they want to compete with the European luxury automakers, and it seems like they’ve tried various avenues like performance,” said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for market researcher Edmunds. “So I wonder if this is one of those ways that they want to differentiate themselves, but it’s not necessarily going to materialize into anything that is long-lasting.”

Steve Carlisle, senior vice president and president of Cadillac — and soon to become executive vice president and president of North America — told reporters in December that by 2030, he expects “to see the internal combustion fade away and the electric start to dominate. We will be in a position to be 100% electric by the latter part of the decade.”

Automotive industry analyst Karl Brauer is wary of long-term commitments like Carlisle’s: “Because nobody is going to look back and say, ‘He was wrong, they’re not all electric.’ In other words, what’s he got to lose by making that prediction?”

Cadillac’s plan hasn’t changed since December, despite a two-month shutdown of plants due to the pandemic that drove the automaker to an $800 million loss in the second quarter. GM says it’s still pushing forward on its aggressive EV plans, Lyriq included. The automaker aims to have 20 electric nameplates globally by 2023 and will spend $20 billion on electric and autonomous vehicle production through 2025.

GM picked Cadillac as the brand to lead its transition to EVs. Cadillac first teased images of the Lyriq in spring 2019. Though GM has been secretive on details, it has confirmed the electric crossover will have a 33-inch display screen and will be fitted with Super Cruise, GM’s advanced driver-assist technology.

The Lyriq will be powered by GM’s new Ultium battery, which has energy options ranging from 50 to 200 kWh. The automaker estimates the batteries will be able to push some vehicles to 400 miles or more on a single charge.

Cummins Receives DOE Awards to Advance Fuel Cell Technology

Cummins Inc. has received two awards from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) totaling nearly $7 million.

The awards are for Cummins’ continued work on enhancing the economic viability of fuel cell powertrain solutions for heavy-duty applications including on-highway tractor-trailers and buses. Cummins is the project lead and is working with a number of public and private partners on these projects, which are part of DOE’s H2@Scale initiative to develop affordable hydrogen production, storage, distribution and use.

“Programs like H2@Scale are essential to gain the scale and investment needed that will lead to faster adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technologies,” says Amy Davis, president of New Power at Cummins Inc.

“The work we are doing with the DOE and our partners will help improve cost and operational performance of hydrogen fuel cell technologies to achieve greater parity with other available power solutions. We are looking forward to moving this technology forward and bringing additional hydrogen products to our customers,” she adds.

The first award for approximately $3.5 million is for the development of an integrated fuel cell electric powertrain for heavy-duty trucks and transit buses with operational performance and total cost of ownership that supports near-term, rapid and substantial penetration of the truck and bus market. This includes the development of a solution that is highly manufacturable and scalable with a proven range of 300 miles or more and improved fuel economy over current heavy-duty trucks and transit buses. Other objectives include achieving, meeting or exceeding conventional diesel powertrain performance requirements and reducing the upfront capital costs by 35% to make the adoption of zero-emission fuel cell technologies viable for commercial fleets.

Global EV Charging Stations Top 1 Million

The electric vehicle industry has quietly hit one of its biggest milestones to date, as the number of public charging plugs around the world ticks above the 1 million mark.

The options for juicing up a car that runs on electrons crossed the seven-figure threshold sometime in May, having doubled in just three years, according to the recent tally by BloombergNEF. Most of the new infrastructure has been built in China and Europe. North America, with far less robust public subsidy and support, remains a distant third in the charging race, though there is some hope that a pandemic stimulus will catalyze a new wave of construction.

A parade of new battery-powered pickups — from the likes of Ford, Rivian and Tesla — may also speed up the pace of charger installations in the U.S. when those models start rolling off assembly lines next year. And General Motors has finally decided to invest in charging stations, 24 years after making its first electric vehicle.

LKQ expands fleet with propane-fueled vehicles

LKQ Corp. added 19 propane-fueled trucks to its delivery vehicle fleet, according to the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

Propane autogas vehicles fit well with LKQ’s business model that focuses on environmental sustainability and stewardship as a North American provider of recycled auto parts for cars and light-duty trucks, PERC says.

“LKQ Raleigh is proud to support our team, employees, customers and our environment,” says Keven Ange, general manager of LKQ Raleigh-Wilmington, North Carolina. “The transition of our fleet of 19 delivery trucks to propane shows that we are continuing to express our commitment to a cleaner environment for future generations. We are also looking forward to growing our propane footprint with additional locations such as Charlotte and Greensboro.”

LKQ was acknowledged at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its decision to purchase propane-fueled vehicles.

“The transportation industry is the second-largest consumer of energy in our nation today,” says Steve Whaley, director of autogas business development at PERC. “And the consumption of many of these fuels produce harmful emissions like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which are some of the worst contributors to respiratory illnesses. Today we get to celebrate the great success of a forward-thinking company making Garner [North Carolina] and its surrounding communities much cleaner and healthier.”

In addition to a clean emissions profile, propane autogas helps businesses keep one of their most expensive operating costs – vehicle fuel – lower. In addition, fleets that operate propane autogas vehicles can oftentimes experience 30 to 40 percent lower fuel costs compared to other options, PERC says.

Airlines Need To Get Fully On Board If Renewable Jet Fuels Are To Take Off

The aviation industry is starting to break ground when it comes to cutting its carbon footprint. Just two years ago, the first commercial flight took place using renewable fuels — jet fuel produced from recycled waste carbon. It was a Virgin Atlantic Airline Boeing 747 flight from Orlando to London.

Carbon recycling is coming to the fore as multiple global companies are applying for patents. Most of us know about capturing and burying emissions. But many of us are only beginning to learn about recycling them. If renewable aviation fuels are to take off, then airlines must expand their commitments with bio-refineries.

“I believe it is possible to get fuels with net-zero emissions because the technology is available,” says Patrick R. Gruber, chief executive of Gevo, a renewable fuels company based in Englewood, Colo., in an interview. “We know what the outcome has to be: it has to run planes and it has to displace carbon. You don’t have to change the engine and there is no need to change the infrastructure. The jet fuel needs to be certified and it needs to work on all engines and platforms.”

AIUT Integrates Semtech’s LPG Sensors

Semtech Corp., a supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms, says AIUT Sp. Z o.o., a hardware and software provider specializing in the internet of things (IoT)-based solutions in the oil and gas markets, has integrated Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol into its new line of intelligent sensors for measuring the volume of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in tanks.

“The oil and gas industry is increasingly demanding smarter, scalable and connected infrastructure to monitor LPG tanks in real-time,” says Krzysztof Paramuszczak, director of the LPG division at AIUT.

“Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol enable AIUT’s products to offer the attractive benefits of reliable, continuous and remote LPG monitoring, as well as deployment flexibility,” Paramuszczak adds.

Fuel stations and other gas suppliers require a consistent inventory of LPG to satisfy customer demand. As a result, these customers desire efficient, accurate and reliable remote monitoring solutions to predict tank levels and optimize refill schedules.

AIUT’s new platform for smart LPG tank monitoring enables the efficient and real-time management of LPG data from the supply network down to the individual tank. The applications leverage the proven capabilities of LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol to provide tank data and metrics on use, creating a coherent tool for the effective management of the gas supply. This provides distinct cost and efficiency advantages over legacy solutions such as drive-by or in-person tank reading. Additionally, AIUT’s solutions include remote valve control to stop or re-enable gas flow through the pump or tank, increasing safety and reducing waste on-site. If you’re looking for top-notch industrial valves, consider buying a triple offset valve – shiphamvalves.com for quality and reliability you can trust.